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Suffering: Transforming Ourselves and Others through Mindfulness in Psychology
and Buddhism
A few weeks ago I posted an article I wrote entitled “Mindful Innovations In
Psychology And Medicine” (from 03/12/2015) which was a variation from an
earlier blog post from my own website (http://www.drdavidzuniga.com).
Mindfulness is arguably the leading paradigm in contemporary psychology.
Research has been generated supporting mindfulness for a wide range of
challenges. In the aforementioned post I wrote on mindfulness-based
interventions such as mindfulness-based stress reduction and mindfulness-based
cognitive therapy and how these clinical interventions were rooted in these
innovators’ personal interests.
So I thought I’d continue with that idea and discuss how two other leading,
mindfulness-based interventions in mental health were also highly influenced
by the personal spiritual interests of leading researchers in psychology.
Dr. Marsha Linehan created Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT; Linehan, 1993).
DBT isnow considered the therapy of choice for Borderline Personality
Disorder. DBT is alsobeing used successfully for other concerns, such as
substance addiction.
Borderline Personality Disorder is a very challenging situation characterized
by a history of intense, unstable relationships and life choices. Not long
ago, Marsha Linehan, the “guru” of DBT had the courage to share that she
herself had struggled for years with Borderline Personality Disorder and was
hospitalized due to numerous suicide attempts and self-injurious behavior that
included cutting herself, head banging, and burning herself (Carey, 2011).
Linehan credits her Roman Catholic religious faith,
prayer, and personal interest in Buddhism with enabling her to survive and
create DBT (Carey, 2011; Robins, 2002).
Dr. Steven Hayes was a widely published, successful professor and researcher.
But at the same time Dr. Hayes also suffered debilitating panic attacks that
threatened his academic career. Hayes has stated publicly that an interest in
Buddhist philosophy, meditation, and other forms of religion and spirituality
helped him overcome his Panic Disorder and create Acceptance and Commitment
Therapy (ACT; Cloud, 2006).
ACT was initially designed to primarily address anxiety-related symptoms and
disorders. ACT has emerged to be used successfully for a range of diverse
problems including chronic pain, substance abuse, obesity, cancer management,
schizophrenia, psychosis, and PTSD (Bach & Hayes, 2002; Bach, Hayes, & Gallop,
2012; Gundy, Woidneck, Pratt, Christian, & Twohig, 2011; Walser & Westrup,
2007).
Drs. Linehan, and Hayes each endured profound suffering. And each transformed
their suffering to create influential therapeutic approaches. Their work
demonstrates that out of profound suffering we can find ways to help other
people. And sometimes, by helping ourselves, we can help others as well.
References
Bach, P., & Hayes, S. C. (2002). The use of acceptance and commitment therapy
to prevent the rehospitalization of psychotic patients: A randomized
controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 70(5),
1129-1139. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.70.5.1129
Bach, P., Hayes, S. C., & Gallop, R. (2012). Long-term effects of brief
acceptance and commitment therapy for psychosis. Behavior Modification, 36(2),
165-181.
doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0145445511427193.
Carey, B. (2011, June 23). Expert on mental illness reveals her own fight.
[Electronic Version]. The New York Times. Retrieved July 29, 2011, from
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/23/health/23lives.html?_r=1&pagewanted;=all
Cloud, D. (2006, February 13). The third wave of therapy. [Electronic
Version]. Time. Retrieved July 29, 2011, from
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1156613,00.html
Gundy, J. M., Woidneck, M. R., Pratt, K. M., Christian, A. W., & Twohig, M. P.
(2011). Acceptance and commitment therapy: State of evidence in the field of
health psychology. The Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice: Objective
Investigations of Controversial and Unorthodox Claims in Clinical Psychology,
Psychiatry, and Social Work, 8(2), 23-35. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/928984322?accountid=10868
Linehan, M. (1993). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of borderline personality
disorder. New York: Guilford Press.
Robins, C. (2002). Zen principles and mindfulness practice in Dialectical
Behavior Therapy. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 9, 50-57.
Walser, R. D., & Westrup, D. (2007). Acceptance and commitment therapy for the
treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and trauma-related problems: A
practitioner's guide to using mindfulness and acceptance strategies. Oakland,
CA: New Harbinger Publications.